In several fields of technology, for instance, in optical communications and optical sensors, there exists the need to couple an optical device such as a radiation source or a detector to an optical waveguide such as a planar waveguide or an optical fiber.
The prior art methods for making a package comprising a device such as a laser and a fiberguide coupled thereto generally comprise securing the device to a mounting or header such that electrical contact can be established with the device, and actively aligning the fiber with respect to the active area of the device such that the desired degree of optical coupling results. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,119,363 and 4,296,998. The prior art also knows variations on this general scheme in which features are provided that permit appropriate alignment of an optical fiber relative to the active area of the device without active alignment. Exemplary of these references are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,326,771 and 4,411,057.
Prior art methods are not well suited for manufacturing packages that comprise a fixed optical waveguide and require precise alignment of the waveguide with the active area of the device. This application discloses such a method.